Chen's bunt-single hands D-Cubs win in 12 innings

Published: Monday, June 24, 2013 at 7:21 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at 12:18 a.m.

DAYTONA BEACH — John Andreoli and Zeke DeVoss hit back-to-back two-out RBI doubles in the ninth inning and Pin-Chieh Chen beat out a run-scoring bunt with two outs in the 12th to lift the Daytona Cubs to a 6-5 victory over the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Monday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

The Cubs (39-32, 4-1 in the second half) trailed 5-2 going into the ninth inning thanks to a pair of Flying Tigers' two-run home runs from Jason Krizan and Steven Moya.

And the game looked all but over in the ninth after Chadd Krist singled to left and Wes Darvill and Tim Saunders went down on strikes.

That brought Chen to the plate, having gone 0 for 3. He was hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive, however, and that brought Andreoli up to the plate as the potential tying run.

Andreoli delivered a blooper to shallow right field that Moya just couldn't get to, resulting in a double that plated Krist.

DeVoss followed suit with a second-pitch rocket that bounced off the wall in center field to bring home Chen and Andreoli with the tying runs.

“(Pitcher Jose Valdez) started me out 1-0 and we had runners on second and third and two outs,” DeVoss said. “I was looking for a fast ball and I was fortunate enough to be able top put a good swing on it.”

Chen had a bunt-single in the 11th inning and got as far as third base, but was stranded there.

When he came to the plate in the 12th, there was a different result.

Krist opened the 12th inning with a one-out chopper down the third baseline that Francisco Martinez mishandled, stole second and went to third on Saunders' two-out infield hit in the hole at shortstop.

That brought Chen to the plate, having already laid down a beauty on the first-base line that stopped just fair in the 11th. He laid down another beauty and despite relief pitcher Alex Burgos' sliding throw, Chen easily beat it out and Krist easily scored.

“It feels great because I saw the first baseman was all the way back and I was able to get a (bunt) hit before so I just tried it again,” Chen said.

Saunders had a two-run double in the fourth inning for the Cubs' other runs and finished 2 for 3. Andreoli went 2 for 4. Luis Liria (1-3) picked up first victory, pitching just the 12th inning.

Moya led the Flying Tigers (31-41, 1-3), going 3 for 4 with three runs scored, a double and a home run.

The two teams meet again at 7:05 tonight at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

OF NOTE: Right-handed pitcher P.J. Francescon was promoted to Class AA Tennessee and right-handed pitcher Carlos Gutierrez was reassigned to Daytona from the Cubs' Arizona Rookie League team Monday. Francescon went 5-4 with a 4.76 ERA in 14 appearances with Daytona. He allowed 37 earned runs and nine home runs with 62 strikeouts and 21 walks in 70 innings pitched. Gutierrez appeared in one game in Arizona, allowing one run with one strikeout and one walk in two innings pitched.

<p><b>DAYTONA BEACH —</b> John Andreoli and Zeke DeVoss hit back-to-back two-out RBI doubles in the ninth inning and Pin-Chieh Chen beat out a run-scoring bunt with two outs in the 12th to lift the Daytona Cubs to a 6-5 victory over the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Monday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.</p><p>The Cubs (39-32, 4-1 in the second half) trailed 5-2 going into the ninth inning thanks to a pair of Flying Tigers' two-run home runs from Jason Krizan and Steven Moya.</p><p>And the game looked all but over in the ninth after Chadd Krist singled to left and Wes Darvill and Tim Saunders went down on strikes.</p><p>That brought Chen to the plate, having gone 0 for 3. He was hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive, however, and that brought Andreoli up to the plate as the potential tying run.</p><p>Andreoli delivered a blooper to shallow right field that Moya just couldn't get to, resulting in a double that plated Krist.</p><p>DeVoss followed suit with a second-pitch rocket that bounced off the wall in center field to bring home Chen and Andreoli with the tying runs.</p><p>“(Pitcher Jose Valdez) started me out 1-0 and we had runners on second and third and two outs,” DeVoss said. “I was looking for a fast ball and I was fortunate enough to be able top put a good swing on it.”</p><p>Chen had a bunt-single in the 11th inning and got as far as third base, but was stranded there.</p><p>When he came to the plate in the 12th, there was a different result.</p><p>Krist opened the 12th inning with a one-out chopper down the third baseline that Francisco Martinez mishandled, stole second and went to third on Saunders' two-out infield hit in the hole at shortstop.</p><p>That brought Chen to the plate, having already laid down a beauty on the first-base line that stopped just fair in the 11th. He laid down another beauty and despite relief pitcher Alex Burgos' sliding throw, Chen easily beat it out and Krist easily scored. </p><p>“It feels great because I saw the first baseman was all the way back and I was able to get a (bunt) hit before so I just tried it again,” Chen said.</p><p>Saunders had a two-run double in the fourth inning for the Cubs' other runs and finished 2 for 3. Andreoli went 2 for 4. Luis Liria (1-3) picked up first victory, pitching just the 12th inning.</p><p>Moya led the Flying Tigers (31-41, 1-3), going 3 for 4 with three runs scored, a double and a home run.</p><p>The two teams meet again at 7:05 tonight at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.</p><p><b>OF NOTE:</b> Right-handed pitcher P.J. Francescon was promoted to Class AA Tennessee and right-handed pitcher Carlos Gutierrez was reassigned to Daytona from the Cubs' Arizona Rookie League team Monday. Francescon went 5-4 with a 4.76 ERA in 14 appearances with Daytona. He allowed 37 earned runs and nine home runs with 62 strikeouts and 21 walks in 70 innings pitched. Gutierrez appeared in one game in Arizona, allowing one run with one strikeout and one walk in two innings pitched.</p>